Elizabeth Stamp

An Australian family of five had long dreamed of living in an Edwardian manor house in the Melbourne suburbs. Once that dream was realized, they wanted to undertake a renovation that preserved the home's rich history and added some modern essentials into the design. They hired architect Nic Owen to bridge the past and present, and he came up with an unconventional plan: he sought to build two modern "pods" at the rear of the house, one with a new living space and another with two new bedrooms. And he set out to do it all while respecting local heritage rules. "The new works were deliberately separated from the original [property] to respect both the old and new," Owen said. He and his clients took inspiration from fellow Aussie architect Neville Gruzman and the famed Los Angeles Case Study houses for the additions' streamlined wings, which were constructed out of painted brick, concrete, and steel. The roof also happens to shade a pond, where 15 more members of the property currently live — this is, if you count individually-named goldfish.

One of the new additions — which contains the kitchen, dining area, and family room — overlooks the yard and goldfish pond. "The pond can be seen from the front door, and is an unexpected element for a first-time visitor," Owen mentioned.